Moving Tips
A Little Planning Helps Lighten The Load On Moving Day
Your offer to purchase has been finalized and now you’re ready to start packing! There are a lot of things to do between now and moving day, but if you approach the job methodically, everything should go smoothly on the big day.
Before Moving Day
- Contact a reputable moving company and go over all details, such as costs and availability.
- Contact your lawyer and confirm where and when your keys are being picked up.
- Arrange insurance for your new home.
- Take inventory of your belongings before they’re packed, in the event they get lost and you need to file an insurance claim later.
- Start using up food items so that there is less to pack and possibly spoil.
- Register your children at their new schools and arrange for necessary day-care.
- Locate all hospitals, police stations, veterinarian, fire stations and any other amenities in your new neighbourhood.
- Familiarize yourself with street parking by-laws in your new neighbourhood.
- Ensure your hydro, phone, cable and gas utilities are ordered or transferred.
- Fill out a change of address card for the post office and let your family and friends know your new address and phone number.
- Inform all credit card companies, newspaper and magazine deliveries of your new address.
- Renew your driver’s license and auto registration with your new address.
On Moving Day
- Double-check all closets, drawers, shelves, attic and garage to ensure they are empty.
- Carry all important documents, money and jewellery. Don’t leave them to the mover.
- Pack toys, games or special items for the kids to keep them busy during the move.
- Pack a separate box of basics you’ll need on move-in day, such as tools, paper products, household cleaners, etc.
- Don’t pack paint, bottles of bleach, gas cans or other inflammables. It is against the law for movers to transport flammable and combustible materials.
- Use strong boxes and containers that can be secured tightly. Purchase special boxes for dishes, wardrobe and other special items.
- Pack audio-video equipment in their original boxes if you have them. Label cables and tape all screws to the body of the equipment.
- Avoid loading more than 50 pounds into one box.
- Label each box and indicate the following: (a) Which room it should go in (b) Whether it is fragile (c) If it should be loaded last so it will be unloaded first.
- Cushion contents with packing material such as bubble wrap, newspaper or tissue. Save room by using towels and blankets to wrap fragile items.
- Pack books tightly on end in small boxes. If musty smelling, sprinkle talcum powder between the pages and wrap the book before packing. Leave stored for a couple of months to eliminate the smell.
- Have rugs and draperies cleaned before moving and leave them in wrappings for the move.
- Pack medicines in a leakproof container.